Conical cap for collapsible tubes



May 4, 1943'. e. LATEUR CONICAL CAB FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Feb. 23. 1939 INVENTOR. GZJTQA/L Jar/2'0? MQL (6%, ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 4, 1943 UNlTE-D STAT-ES PATENT oF -Fl-'C'Eff,

CONICAL CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Gaston L. Lateur, San Francisco, Calif.

Application February 23, 1939, Serial No. 257,908

(Cl. 221-60) l 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in a conical cap for collapsible tubes, and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a conical cap for collapsible tubes which is an improvement over the form of the invention shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 202,620, filed April 18, 1938. In the co-pending case, I show a tube with a conical end and a conical cap fits over the exterior surface of this end. It is possible to mount a conical closure on the inner surface of the conical tube end and I have shown such a construction in the present application. I

In the co-pending case, I also show the conical cap as being provided with an opening that is designed to register with an opening in the conical end of the tube when the cap is rotated into the proper position. It is possible to enlarge the cap opening and provide two such enlarged openings by forming two radially extending arms for the cap and cutting away the remaining portion of the cap excepting the rim. Either of these two arms is wide enough to cover the opening in the tube when the cap is rotated into the proper position. Novel means is shown for holding the cap in place and this means consists of an annular shoulder formed in the top of the tube core and slidably receiving the inner ends of the cap arms. No rivets are necessary with this type of construction for rotatably securing the cap to the tube.

The device is extremely simple in construction and is designed to be manufactured at a small expense.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim. 7

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which Figure l is a top plan view of the device;

Figure 2 is a section along the line -4.! of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of the device;

Figure 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through another modified form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a top plan view of another modified form of the device;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of the conical tube end, shown without the cap; v

Figure 9 is a verticalsection of another modifled form of the invention;

Figure 10 is a top plan view of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional view throughanother form of the invention; and

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the tube shown in Figure 11, and omits the closure.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a tube I, see Figure 2, that has a conical end 2 with a central opening 3. A conical cap or closure 4 is mounted on the inside of the cone 2 and has a flange '5 that bears against the inner surface of the tube Wall. The cap 4 has a shoulder 6 that lies flush with the rim of the opening 3 and th shoulder in turn has a central projection 1 receivable in an opening 8 in a ring 9. The ring 9'has a conical surface designed to lie flush with the conical portion 2 of the tube.

Figure 1 shows the ring 9 carrying a handle l0 and this hand-1e extends down over the conical surface 2. The ring 9-is permanently secured to the cap 4 and if desired, the contacting surfaces between the projection I and the bore of the ring may be roughened as shown'at ll. The conical portion 2 of the tube has an outlet opening I2 and the cap 4 has an opening l3 designed to register with the opening 12. The conical end 2 may have an arcuate recess 14 for receiving a projection l5 formed on the underside of the handle Ill. The recess or groove I 4 limits the rotation of the ring 9 and handle l0 between open and closed positions.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. 7

The closure 4 is normally in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and closes the opening 12; In using the tube, the handle I0 is moved through an arc of approximately and this will swing the opening 13 into registration with the opening [2. The wall of the tube I may now be compressed and this will deliver material through the registering openings l2 and I3. The arrangement of the opening l2 on the conical surface 2 to cause the opening to extend in a radial direction, permits the material in the tube such as tooth paste, to be readily spr'ead 'upon the bristles of a tooth brush. When a sufficient quan tity of the material has been delivered, a slight rotation of the tube I about its longitudinal axis will sever the ribbon of tooth paste at the openi-ng l2 without causing any or thamaterial to adhere to the surface of the conical portion disposed near the opening. Since the opening I2 extends in a radial direction from the apex of the cone, the surface of the cone disposed close to the two sides of the opening, will abruptly curve away from the plane of the opening and therefore the least amount of the conical surface will be disposed close to the brush when the opening extends transversely across the bristles. This feature has been set forth in my co-pending application. Therocking of the tube aboutitslongitudinal axis will quickly swing the opening 12 above the bristles while at the same time severing the ribbon from the tube without smearin the cone Z. After the tube has been used, the handle may again be swung through an arc of 90 for closing the opening 12.

In the form of the device shown in Figures 3 and 4, a larger tube I6 is shown and the inside closure I1 is not provided with a flange as is true with the form of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2. In all other respects, the device shown in Figures 3 and 4 is identical to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and therefore corresponding reference numerals will be given. It will be noted that the projection 1 has a rounded end 11) and the outer surface of the ring 9 has a rounded surface 91) that merges into the rounded end lb and into the. conical end 2. This arrangement gives a more stream-lined effect to the tube. The operation of this form of the device is identical to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and therefore need not be set forth.

InFigures 5 and 6 I show a collapsible tube I8 provided with a conical end l9 merging into a rounded apex 20. The apex has a projection 20a with an annular shoulder 201). A cap 2|, see Figure 6, has a ring-shaped portion 22 designed to encircle the tube I8 at a point adjacent to the conical portion [9. The ring- 22 has its outer surface knurledto aid in gripping the cap. The cap is provided with two arms 23 that extend inwardly in a radial direction and are formed with arcuate inner ends 23a for slidably contacting with the annular shoulder 20b. Figure 6 shows anopening 24 in the conical end I9 and the arms23 are wide enough t act as a closure for the opening when either arm is swung into a position to overlie the opening.

This type of construction differs from the form of the invention shown in Figure 1 in my ,copending application because it makes use of two spring arms 23 for-holding the cap in place rather than the rivet. This permit the cap to be forced into place and .thearms to snap over the upper edge of the shoulder 20b and then to engage with the shoulder. No separate operation of riveting the cap to the tube is necessary. If desired, a stop '25 integral. with the projection 2011 may extend beyond the. shoulder 20b and limit the rotational movement of'the cap'from open to closed position. This form of the; device operates the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, and therefore no further detailed description need be given. j

InFigure 7, I'show a slightly modified form of the cap 2|. The cap 26 shown in Figure '7 has a portion 21extending diametrically there-across and formed intoa cone soas to overlie the conica1 portion IQ of the tube. The width of the portion 21 is greater than the diameter of the projection 20a and therefore an, opening28 is provided in the-portionZl, to receive the disc5shaped 'projection 20a; The portion 21-is "split transversely at 21a in order to divide the portioninto two springs arms that will snap over the projection 20a and bear against the shoulder 20b. The shoulder 20b extends at right angles to the face of the conical portion I9 and therefore the upper edge of the shoulder 20b is of a greater diameter than the lower edge. It is this particular arrangement that holds the cap in place when the arms 23 and 2! engage with the shoulders.

If desired, the projection 20a may be oval in shape as. shown in Figure 8 and this will permit either the cap 2| or the cap 26 to be secured thereto without the necessity of springing the arms 23 or 21 unduly. If the cap is rotated into a position where the arms 23 or 21 are disposed above the portions 200 of the oval that are placed nearest the apex of the cone 19, then the cap may be readily mounted. If now the cap is rotated through an arc of the arms 23 or 21 will ride under the shoulder portions 20d that are disposed furtherest away from the apex and this will secure the cap to the tube and will move the cap into contact with the conical end to make a perfect seal therewith. The slight shoulder at portions 200 prevent the cap from dropping off because the arms 23 and 21 engage therewith.

Still another form of the invention is shown in Figures 9 and 10. The collapsible tube 29 shown in this form has a conical portion 30 and a flattened end 31. Arcuate slots 32 are provided in the conical end at its juncture with the flattened end 3|. The closure is mounted on the inside of the end 30 and has a ring-shaped portion 33 provided with projections 34. These projections are passed through the arcuate openings 32 and then are bent outwardly to rotatably hold the ring in place. The projections 34 constitute gripping members by means of which the ring 33 is rotated. The ring carries an extension 35 designed to close an opening 36 in the conical end 30. When the projections 34- are grasped and rotated, the extension 35 is moved to uncover the opening 36 and permit material from the tube 29 to be squeezed therefrom. The arcuate slots 32 limit the rotation of the side so that the material cannot be forced therethrough.

In Figures 11 and 12-, I show a form'sornewhat similar to that shown in Figures 3 and 4. The tube 31 has a conical end 38 with a central opening 39. The rim of the opening has a shoulder 40 with an arcuate recess 41 on its underside, see Figure 12. A closure member 42 rotates on the inner surface of the conical end 38 and has a circular projection 43 that is rotatably received in the opening 39. A smaller projection 44 is axially aligned with the closure member axis and receives a ring 45. The outer edge of the ring 45 projects beyond the cone 38 and is manually gripped for turning the closure when it is desired to open or close the tube.

The closure carries a wing 41 that normally closes an opening 48 in the conical end 38. A lug 49 is integral with the closure member 42 and rides in the arcuate recess 41. The recess and lug limit the rotative movement of the closure from closed to open position. This form of the device operates the same as the form shown in Figure 4. It should be noted that the caps 22 and 25 shown in Figures 6 and 7, are provided with chamferecl edges between the arms 23 or 21 that lie flush with the conical end I9. The ova1 shape of the projection 20a, shown in Figure 8, will cause the arms 23v or '21 to move slightly away from the apex when the arms reach the portions 23d. This will causethe armsto force the cap more closely down upon the conical portion 19. The edges of the arms 23 and 21 are chamfered so as to merge into the conical portion I9. These edges will act as scrapers on the top of the conical end l9.

The closure 33 shown in Figure 9, has a lining on its inner surface which will prevent material in the tube from passing through the arcuate slots 32. This lining has its lower edge bent so as to enclose the lower edge of the closure 33 and form a seal between the closure and the conical end 30.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

A collapsible tube having a conical end with a central opening, a conical closure member disposed on the inner surface of the conical end and 

